While we don’t always think about school shootings at school, they loom in the backs of our minds as we sit in classrooms, walk through the hallways or even go to the water fountain. We cannot control what may happen in a worst-case scenario, though we can control how we prepare and verify we know the steps we need to take if this event were to arise.
In light of recent events that occurred at a back-to-school mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we felt it was important to address the harsh realities that we face as American children in school daily.
An important factor in responding to an emergency situation is to be able to immediately know what to do and how to properly respond to the situation. Director of Safety and Security Dr. Lloyce E. Spells emphasized the importance of having comprehensible and simple training for active shooter situations. This allows ETHS to limit the possibility of students and faculty being confused about what steps to take in the event of a threat. Currently, ETHS has employed the Department of Homeland Securitys’ “Run, Hide, Fight” protocol.
“We want to simplify the process, and “Run, Hide, Fight” does just that. In the event of a crisis or critical incident like an active shooter, we want people to consider those options quickly,” Spells explained.
Dr. Spells and other administrators guarantee that with the current drills and safety precautions in place that ETHS is a safe and secure environment, and move to make it even safer. Spells outlined the possibility of moving from the “Run, Hide, Fight” protocol to the “i love u guys” foundation. The “i love you guys” foundation is a similar model to “Run, Hide, Fight,” however, it creates a greater emphasis on direct communication with students through posters that describe steps to take in classrooms and hallways, and safety steps on the back of ID cards. Through this program, there is also a stronger focus on training, free literature and other educational materials. We believe this shift is vital for the administration to take due to the more direct communication with students and ensuring that if a student were in a life-threatening situation, they have resources at hand that can tell them exactly what to do in a moment of panic.
The importance of clear communication and expectations for emergent situations can make the difference for survival. A survivor of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Weston Halsne outlined to CNN that the school had run active shooting drills in the school building itself, but never in the church adjacent to the school.
This brings to light the element of surprise that incidents such as these possess. Although there are legal limitations to the ability to run drills at an inconvenient time, such as a lunch block, we suggest specific instructions be given to our student body if a shooting were to occur during a lunch block, passing period or when going to the bathroom. If students were to be equipped with the knowledge of knowing exactly what to do in different spaces within our building, we hope that every student, no matter what, will be prepared.
Unlike a drill, there is no opt-out email or notice as to when this may occur. We recognize that the administration works tirelessly to ensure these drills pose the least amount of disruption to our education as possible. Though, disrupting class time to do drills isn’t the only form of preparation that we can undergo.
Preparation not only lies in knowing where to run to, but also in being able to manage a crisis if the situation were to transpire. In our freshman year PE classes, each of us has the opportunity to get our CPR/AED certification. Our request is for Stop the Bleed certifications to be incorporated into the freshman CPR/AED unit. In a crisis, if help is unable to get to the location of an injured student, it is important that we as individuals have the skill set to potentially save a life.
Above all, students, parents and administrators alike all wish for the safety of our community. Our hope is if the administration implements these changes we can become a safer and better prepared community.
